August 8, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourarvadanews.com
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 9, Issue 11
Stop Arvada Walmart goes to the public Group petitioning to have vote on redevelopment PIF By Sara Van Cleve
‘We have citizens that are wondering where their money is going.’ Cindi Kreutzer, founder of SAW and Arvada resident
svancleve@ourcoloradonews.com A group opposed to a Wal-Mart redevelopment at the Arvada Plaza is working to put the tax refund portion of the project on the November ballot. Stop Arvada Walmart, a group of organized citizens that started on Facebook and is up to 342 “likes” as of Aug. 2, is currently circulating petitions to collect signatures with the goal of putting the public improvement fee portion of the redevelopment agreement for Arvada Plaza, approved by Arvada City Council July 15 on the November ballot. “We’ve been advised by the city that the first ordinance they passed is not legislative in nature and is not referable, but the sales tax issue is,” said Cindi Kreutzer, a found-
ing member of SAW and an Arvada native. “That also happens to be an issue everyone is concerned about anyway. We have citizens that are wondering where their money is going.” Because the preliminary development plan for the Wal-Mart store and 20,000 square feet of additional retail space at Independence Street and Ralston Road was passed using a quasi-judicial process, it cannot be referred to the ballot; the ordinances approving the PIF can be referred though. Stop Arvada Walmart has until 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, to collect the signatures and information of 7,246 registered Arvada voters for the PIF issue to be considered for the November ballot. The number of signa-
tures required is a percentage of all registered voters in the city. Following a public hearing on July 15, City Council approved 6-1 with a publicprivate partnership between Arvada Urban Renewal Authority and Industrial Realty Group of Torrance, California, the owner of the Arvada Plaza property. Mayor Pro Tem and District 1 Councilwoman Rachel Zenzinger voted against the ordinance. Through the approved agreement, AURA will refund IRG $5.8 million of the $9.1 million in public improvements being made to the site and the surrounding area. The $5.8 million will be collected through a PIF in lieu of the city’s portion of the sales tax, which is three percent. Following the passage of the ordinance, the PIF
will be enacted on the IRG property as well as the AURA-owned Independence Center, the northeast corner of Ralston Road and Independence Street that includes Big O Tires, Black Forest Deli, Triangle Liquor, Ace Check Cashing and Classics by Gloria Catering. AURA has up to 12 years to refund the developer, but AURA Executive Director Maureen Phair said she expects repayment in about half that time. “It’s money that would normally be spent doing things for our city where we live and it’s sales tax money,” Kreutzer said. “We keep hearing it’s going to be people from Arvada that go to that store, so it’s really our money — it won’t be my money, but it’ll be most people of Arvada that shop there, it’ll be their money — and we expect that sales tax is used for things that affect all of us.” Kreutzer filed letters of intent with the city regarding the petition on July 22, giving the group 30 days to collect enough signatures to make it on the November ballot. Arvada Communication Manager WenWalmart continues on Page 17
Personal precautions prevail for mosquitoes With no mitigation programs, ‘four Ds’ bite prevention essential By Sara Van Cleve
svancleve@ourcoloradonews.com
Arvada residents participate in the seventh annual Ralston House .5K Endurance Challenge Aug. 3 in Olde Town Arvada. Photos by Sara Van Cleve
On your mark, get set,
RUN Photos by sara Van CleVe
The Ralston House .5K Endurance Challenge was held Aug. 3 in Olde Town Arvada. Arvada High School cheerleaders cheered on participants and pulled out finish line tape for each finisher. The fundraiser is a three-block race that supports the work Ralston House does to help abused children tell their story and receive the counseling and support they need.
Summer might be nearing an end, but mosquitoes are still swarming. As of Aug. 1, Jefferson County had submitted 17 pools of mosquitoes to be tested for West Nile virus and three came back positive in the Front Range area. “The West Nile virus has been detected in the county, so everyone needs to take precautions,” said David Volkel, environmental specialist with Jefferson County Public Health. Jeffco traps mosquitoes overnight across the county and sends in the trapped mosquitoes for testing. Two from Lakewood and one from Golden have tested positive. The only Colorado cases of West Nile in humans this year have been reported in Delta and Larimer Counties. Jeffco reported three cases of the virus in humans in 2012, none in 2011 and one in 2010, Volkel said. Though no human cases of West Nile have been reported, residents still need to take precautions when it comes to the outdoors, Volkel said. The biggest thing to remember is the four Ds. “The four Ds are DEET, or another EPA insect repellent, people should get used to having that with them when they’re outside and near water; draining Mosquitoes continues on Page 17
Opal Morris, 3, crosses the finish line during the Ralston House .5K Endurance Challenge Aug. 3 in Olde Town Arvada.
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